


Back in the Saddle Again

by QueenCobra



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-19
Updated: 2014-04-19
Packaged: 2018-01-19 22:34:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1486585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenCobra/pseuds/QueenCobra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will they get the vacation they needed, or will another disturbing case interrupt their time together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set after "The Replicator"

"I'm sorry we had to interrupt your vacation, but it's over now, so enjoy your week off." Aaron Hotchner gave one of his rare smiles before he boarded the jet. The group of four waved at their team as the jet took off.

"We have exactly twenty minutes to make it to a lodge that's thirty minutes away, we need to hurry!" Emily started to push them all towards the cars. Penelope hooked her arm in Derek's and smiled at Emily.

Actually, I have two cabins up by my old home, and I canceled our reservations at the lodge. I hope you don't mind, but I thought it might be nice for us to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. I mean, there's no internet, but I have you guys." They were all surprised. Penelope never stayed anywhere that didn't have internet access. Last time she went with them on a case, she stayed at a hotel three blocks away from where the others were because it was the only place with WIFI.

"Lead the way, then," Spencer said with a smile. She nodded her head enthusiastically. Once she made sure Emily and Spencer were ready, she had Derek pull away from the airport. Penelope gave the directions from memory. About an hour later, they parked in front of the small cabins. Emily stepped out of her car and took a deep breath. She smiled when Spencer wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Look at our two love birds, baby girl." Penelope smiled up at him and he kissed her on the cheek before grabbing their bags and taking them inside. He sat on the couch and leaned back. He was tired the case and long drive. For some reason this case drained them completely.

Penelope plopped down next to him moments later and sighed. "What's on your mind, Pen."

"What's on my mind, Derek? That case is on my mind! Those little kids will never see their parents again, just like me. The Unsub made sure they had no one else in their lives, and now they don't have anywhere to go. I know it hit Jayje and Hotch pretty bad, but-Oh, I don't know anymore. Can we just go to bed now? I'm so done with today."

"Alright, to bed we go." Once they were changed into their pajamas, they slipped into bed.

"Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight, baby girl. Sleep tight."


	2. Chapter 2

Penelope woke up first, and decided to take a shower before waking Derek. When the water ran cold, she stepped out and got dressed. She walked back into the bedreoom to wake Derek, and was surprised when she found he wasn't there.

"Hello? Derek? Come on, Emily and Spencer wanted us to meet them at the pancake house for breakfast." Next thing she knew, she felt something hit her head, and then the world went black.

Now hen she finally woke up again, she looked around the small room. It was cold, and had very little light. Penelope tried to move, but she had been tied to a chair. She then heard a familiar laugh, but couldn't quite figure out who it was. "Who's there? This isn't funny!" A man stepped out from the shadows and stood in front of her.

"Hello, Penelope. Do you remember me?" She shook her head slightly, still trying to figure out who he was. "Then do you remember Erin Strauss? Do you remember the word 'zugzwang' rolling across your screens at Quantico? Perhaps you remember those lovely flowers JJ received, or the pictures of your team mates placed at each crime scene. How could you forget me? After all, I am the one who killed your late section chief. Did you know she was your biological mother?"

"John Curtis," she whispered as tears began to trickle down her face. "What do you mean?" Penelope tried to straighten herself out, but failed and began to cry harder. "What did you do with my friends?"

"Oh, don't worry about them, they're in another room." He walked over to her side and started playing with her hair. "Chief Strauss told me a lot of things that night. She told me about David, about Spencer and Emily. She mentioned JJ, Alex, and Aaron. Then she got to you and Derek." He grabbed a chair from the corner of the room before he continued.

"When she started talking about you, her face lit up. Erin told me that she had given you up for adoption when you were just a baby. She wanted you to have a good life, and thought it would have been better for someone else to raise you. Erin said that she regretted it every single day, and she regretted not telling you. She loved you, Penelope, and you never knew it. You thought she hated you. I know a lot about your team, Penelope. I know that Henry, your godson, won't be getting better anytime soon. I know that Emily and Spencer are expecting."

Penelope thought about what he was saying. She didn't know about any of this. Emily hadn't told her about being pregnant, and JJ never said Henry was sick. That worried her. What was wrong with him? Did Emily not trust her anymore? "She also told me another little secret," he continued. "Derek wants to marry you. With all that's happened in the past year to you and your team, he decided to wait on asking you. It's too bad hell never get the chance, and Emily won't be able to tell you about little Spencer."

Her eyes grew big and she became red in the face. "If you hurt my friends, so help me God, I'll-" John covers her mouth and shook his head.

"You won't do anything, Penelope, I know you won't." He left the room and she was left with her thoughts.


End file.
